ANDREW LAWSON, a successful farmer of
Sherwood Township, who was one of the pioneer homesteaders here,
and who has achieved prosperity through his own efforts, aided by a
worthy helpmate, was born on a farm in Denmark, Feb. 16, 1848, son
of Lars and Sophia (Larson) Lawson. He was the youngest member of a
family of six children, four sons and two daughters. The first to
come to the United States was Nels, a brother of Andrew, who
settled in Waupaca, Wis. Some time after he had departed, Andrew
and his brother, Sam, enlisted, or contracted, to go to Greenland
to work in the mines, and were there for a year and a half. Then,
in 1871, he worked his way to the United States on a vessel loaded
with soda from the Greenland mines, which landed him in
Philadelphia. Going to Salem, Pa., he worked for farmers in that
vicinity from October, 1871, until Easter, 1872. He then came West
to Stevens Point, Wis., where, during that summer, he worked on the
railroad. After that he lived for a while in the vicinity of
Neenah, Wis., and then came to Clark County. Here he first worked
in a sawmill, but subsequently homesteaded forty acres of land in
Section 24, Sherwood Township, the tract forming a part of his
present farm, to which he later added forty acres more. The land
was all wooded and there were no roads, so he began life here as a
pioneer, building the log house in which he still resides, and has
resided for forty years. For thirty winters or more he worked in
logging camps and on the drive but spent his summers in improving
his farm.

On Nov. 3, 1878, Mr. Lawson was married to
Aseenith Sparks, who was born in New York State Nov. 3, 1858,
daughter of David and Elizabeth (Sparks) Sparks. Her father died
when she was a year old and the rest of the family then came to
Plainfield, with James Freeman Sparks, the widow's father. From
there they subsequently came to Clark County, locating -in Sherwood
Township, where they were among the first homesteaders, and where
James F. Sparks served as one of the early township officers. At
the time of his marriage, Mr. Lawson had two yearling heifers and
an ox team, with a "jumper." He used to carry flour and groceries
on his back through the woods from City Point, eleven miles away,
and often walked to Neillsville.

He and his wife being members of the
Congregational Church, services were often held in their log house
in early days. Since that time he has greatly improved his farm, on
which he raises Holstein cattle with good financial results. He and
his wife have an adopted son, Ralph Lawson, married Nettie
Lunderville, Oct. 24, 1917. Mr. Lawson cast his first ballot for
President Grant, and has ever since been a Republican.

**Feel free to write me if you are researching this family, as I
have a little more info to share.